Foreign Comic Collector - Page 8

zuchelli.
It turns out that when
it first began publishing
Vid would turn a 17 page
comic book into 32, cutting up panels and turning
them into full pagers to fill
the quota that Novaro had
used before. These panels were photographically
enlarged, with a subsequent and substantial loss
of quality. My suggestion
Muerte en la Famila was that they would get
better results if I were to trace over the pictures and
, to my surprise, the editor agreed.
I started working right away. The first results left
much to be desired, but over time, the quality improved to the point that someone wrote a letter to
the publisher praising the work.
At the same time I was assigned the translation of
the first chapter of Miller and Mazzuchelli´s “Batman:
Year One”. I spoke to the editor about the details
in the plot, which I already knew and asked him if
we should translate it in the style of self-censorship
that prevailed at Novaro. Having agreed to do so, I
softened the tone of Frank Miller´s story. Much to my
surprise, the end result did not seem to please the
powers that be who requested the work be re-done.
On the other hand, the touch-up of Mazzuchelli´s
work was the best I had accomplished. The strong
lines and shadows used by this artist facilitated the
process. However, the panel enlargement system
was abandoned after only three issues much to my
bad luck but for the comic book´s benefit I must
admit.
After a three year hiatus I was assigned another
translating job. But when the opportunity came it
was well received and I tried to put my best into the
various issues of Batman and Detective Comics that
I translated. My favorite translation from that period
is “A Death in the Family” whose first chapter was
my last job as a translator and first as assistant editor, a position I got afContinued on page 10
Gustavo’s Hidden Signatures
Mexican (altered)
American Original
Gustavo would quite often hide easter eggs in his work.
Leaving his hidden mark on the comics he so loved.
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